On 24 May 1941 one of the most famous naval engagements of World War II--the sinking of the battlecruiser HMS Hood by the German battleship Bismarck--took place in the Denmark Strait and people have been arguing about it ever since. In this book a professional defense analyst offers an original and highly credible explanation of the battle based on extensive computer modeling. He argues that instead of pursuing a straight course throughout the battle as previously thought, Bismarck and Prinz Eugen made two major course changes that the commander of the Hood had to respond to. He explains how the gunners aboard the Hood initially mistook the smaller Prinz Eugen for the much-larger Bismarck and fired several salvoes before they realized their error. Photographs of Bismarck taken from Prinz Eugen during the battle are, for the first time, printed in their proper orientation and chronological sequence, correcting earlier misinterpretations of the actions.

The book covers the entire Bismarck campaign, from the genesis of the revived German Navy in the 1930s to the final sinking of the Bismarck three days after the loss of the Hood. The actions of both sides are comprehensively explained to give a clear and accurate account of the legendary campaign.